Stafford, Texas

Infobox Settlement
official_name = City of Stafford
settlement_type = City
nickname =
motto =

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|Welcome Sign
imagesize =
image_caption = Welcome sign


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mapsize = 250x200px
map_caption = Location of Stafford, Texas

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mapsize1 = 250px
map_caption1 =

subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Texas
subdivision_type2 = Counties
subdivision_name2 = Fort Bend, Harris

government_footnotes =
government_type =
leader_title =
leader_name =
leader_title1 =
leader_name1 =
established_title =
established_date =

unit_pref = Imperial
area_footnotes =

area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 18.1
area_land_km2 = 18.1
area_water_km2 = 0.0
area_total_sq_mi = 7.0
area_land_sq_mi = 7.0
area_water_sq_mi = 0.0

population_as_of = 2000
population_footnotes =
population_total = 15681
population_density_km2 = 867.6
population_density_sq_mi = 2247.1

timezone = Central (CST)
utc_offset = -6
timezone_DST = CDT
utc_offset_DST = -5
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 26
elevation_ft = 85
latd = 29 |latm = 37 |lats = 27 |latNS = N
longd = 95 |longm = 33 |longs = 48 |longEW = W

postal_code_type = ZIP codes
postal_code = 77477, 77497
area_code = 281
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 48-69908GR|2
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 1347777GR|3
website =
footnotes =

Stafford is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown Metropolitan Area. Stafford is mostly in Fort Bend County with a small portion in Harris County. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the city population was 15,681.

Due to its abundance of revenue-generating industry and prime business location between Sugar Land and Houston, Stafford has perhaps one of the most distinctive and financially strong municipal governments in the state of Texas.

The city has the only municipal school district (Stafford Municipal School District) in all of Texas. Stafford is served by the Houston Community College System and has a campus within the city.

Stafford does not have a municipal property tax as of 1995 and the sales tax is 0.5% less than all of the surrounding cities. Even though it is known as a bedroom community of the greater Houston area, it is estimated that four times as many people work in Stafford on a week day, which is evidence of the large amount of commercial activity that helps the city financially. Many corporations both large and small including United Parcel Service, Texas Instruments, and Tyco all maintain significant operations in Stafford.

As of 2008 the Mayor of Stafford is Leonard Scarcella, who was first elected in 1969 and has been a lifelong resident of the city.

History

William Stafford established a plantation with a cane mill and a horse-powered cotton gin in 1830. On April 15, 1836, during the Texas Revolution, the forces of Antonio Lopez de Santa Ana stopped at Stafford's plantation and ordered it to be burned. Stafford rebuilt his plantation and resided there until his 1840 death. A settlement called Stafford Point established itself around the plantation; it became a townsite in August 1853 when the Buffalo Bayou, Brazos and Colorado Railway began stopping at Stafford Point. Stafford Point had a post office from 1854 to 1869. Staffordville had a post office from January 5, 1869 to February 26, 1869. The settlement, now known as "Stafford", operated a post office from 1869 to 1918; the post office reopened in 1929.Handbook of Texas|id=SS/hgs15|name=Stafford, Texas]

In 1884, Stafford had 50 residents, two general stores, and a grocer. By 1896 the settlement had a population of 300. By 1914 the population fell to 100. In 1931 320 people lived in Stafford. This increased to 400 residents in 1946. Stafford incorporated as a city in 1956.

Geography

Stafford is located at coor dms|29|37|27|N|95|33|48|W|city (29.624186, -95.563359)GR|1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.0 square miles (18.1 km²).None of the area is covered with water.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 15,681 people, 5,865 households, and 4,035 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,247.1 people per square mile (867.4/km²). There were 6,390 housing units at an average density of 915.7/sq mi (353.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 46.95% White, 18.85% African American, 0.43% Native American, 19.80% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 10.53% from other races, and 3.39% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 23.30% of the population.

There were 5,865 households out of which 38.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.8% were married couples living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.2% were non-families. 25.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 2.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.27.

In the city the population was spread out with 27.9% under the age of 18, 9.9% from 18 to 24, 38.5% from 25 to 44, 18.8% from 45 to 64, and 4.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 97.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $50,323, and the median income for a family was $58,736. Males had a median income of $41,270 versus $31,761 for females. The per capita income for the city was $22,803. About 5.4% of families and 6.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.7% of those under age 18 and 2.8% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Colleges and universities

The city is served by Houston Community College System. The HCCS Southwest College includes the Stafford Campus at 9910 Cash Road. [" [http://swc2.hccs.edu/swc/0506/operations/index.php College Operations] ." "Houston Community College Southwest College". Accessed September 5, 2008.]

Primary and secondary schools

Public schools

In 1977, Stafford broke away from the Fort Bend Independent School District, which caused several rounds of federal litigation and by 1981 its was finally declared that the Stafford Municipal School District was constitutional. Almost all of Stafford was in FBISD, with a minuscule portion in the Houston Independent School District. All of Stafford is now zoned to the Stafford Municipal School District, which is the only school district in all of Texas that is controlled by the city. Students living outside the city limits, in Stafford's southern extraterritorial jurisdiction (including Fifth Street), are served by the Fort Bend Independent School District. Residents in the northern extraterritorial jurisdiction are served by the Alief or Houston Independent School Districts.

When most of Stafford was a part of Fort Bend ISD, Staffordshire Elementary was located in Stafford. Staffordshire closed when Fort Bend ISD desegregated.

Public libraries

Fort Bend County Libraries has the Mamie George Branch located within the city limits of Stafford on Dulles Avenue right next to Dulles Middle School.

Postal services

The United States Postal Service operates the Stafford Post Office at 4110 Bluebonnet Drive, 77477-9998. This post office services the zip codes 77477 and 77497. The Stafford Post Office also services the City of Meadows Place and a small part of Alief in Houston. Some of Stafford's northern extraterritorial jurisdiction is within the zip code 77031, and is serviced by a Houston Post Office.

Image gallery

References

External links

* [http://www.cityofstafford.com/ Stafford official website]
* [http://www.stafford.msd.esc4.net Stafford Municipal School District]
* [http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/SS/hgs15.html Handbook of Texas article on Stafford, Texas]